Successful Practices & Strategies Vol. 5 | No. 3 

Fairfield Bay Police Department 

Fairfield Bay, Arkansas 

visitfairfieldbay.com/city-of-fairfield-bay/city-departments/ 

Community policing element 

Community partnerships and problem solving 

Problem/issue 

Community trust 

Problem description 

Areas of our community struggling to make ends meet and a large drug and alcohol problem. Trust of 

police was nonexistent. Community members felt that the police were there solely to arrest and charge 

people, not to help them. 

Community policing strategies implemented 

In the spring of 2018, we will be starting one of our first community outreach programs, “Bicycles for 

kids,” to re-establish with the kids that the police are good people—not always there to arrest someone 

but also here to help. We want to build a good rapport with the children and their families so that they 

are not afraid to ask for our help. Our department has also put together a brochure to hand out with 

helpful numbers and addresses of where they can go, whether it’s for a meal, substance abuse, or just 

for someone to listen. 

Change and/or impact as a result of these community policing efforts 

We started a Bicycles for Kids Safety Program as a way to reach out to the people in the struggling areas 

of our community. The idea was to show that we, the police, are there to make positive changes in 

people’s lives, not just “deal with them” at times of trouble. 

We were able to speak to other residents and businesses and let them know the needs and problems 

that others face. This enlightened so many people who just did not realize that some of these issues 

existed in our community. The outpouring of support was incredible. We received donated bicycles and 

helmets for the kids and set up a training course to teach them bicycle safety. A lunch of hot dogs and 

chips was provided them through one of the local church groups, and each child that arrived received a 

new bicycle and helmet when they went through the one-hour safety class. 

The results were far reaching. First, the community as a whole was brought together to face the 

problems and needs. Second, those who had trouble trusting the police saw a different side of law 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

enforcement, and much needed dialogue was opened between these residents and the police. It was 

the beginning that this community needed. Many of the groups that had formed to help people were 

able to pool resources and that enabled them to reach a greater amount of the needs. 

The City leaders saw what was happening and stepped in. Improvements were made to some of the 

worst areas, brush cleared, and attention given to some of the concerns. This made the residents in 

these areas feel that they were part of the community, not just a problem. 

We, the police, have spent additional time stopping just to talk to residents in these areas, all of whom 

mention the bicycle program. This has opened doors for all of us become a part of the community as a 

whole, not just separate pieces. 

Lessons learned through program implementation 

So many lessons were learned. One of the main lessons was that these simple steps and programs do 

not have to cost a fortune and can make an incredible difference. Groups and organizations already exist 

that want to help; they just need that spark and organizing to be brought together. 

Our attitudes affect so much of our ability to speak and interact with others. If we stop looking at people 

as problems and instead try to help them, positive changes do happen. People want to be better than 

they are, and offering encouragement rather than disparagement made them feel that we truly do care. 

Communications have increased, resulting in a better trust of the police in areas that absolutely did not 

care for the police. The trust that people have for the police has increased to the point that we are being 

invited by residents to those areas to help start community watch programs and sometimes just to 

answer questions that they have. 

Overall, this program has opened numerous doors for us, and our service to the community has 

improved drastically. The attitudes of the officers, once they realized what the programs sought to 

accomplish, have improved and now they feel that they can do the job they want to do, which is to 

make a difference. 

The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the 

U.S. Department of Justice. References to specific agencies, companies, products, or services should not be considered an 

endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the references are illustrations to supplement 

discussion of the issues. 

The Internet references cited in this document were valid as of the date of publication. Given that URLs and websites are in 

constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services can vouch for their current validity. 

Published 2018